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Monday, March 9, 2026 Mar 09, 2026

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Illinois abolished the death penalty 15 years ago today, when former Governor Pat Quinn signed a bill into law banning the punishment. We’ve got record warmth around Chicago today with highs in the low 70s. The Chicago White Sox have named Shane Smith their starting pitcher for Opening Day. Plus, Illinois residents soon have a big choice to make: who should represent them in the U.S. Senate for the next six years? All eyes are on the Democratic primary in the race to replace longtime retiring U.S. Senator Dick Durbin.

What Rev. Jesse Jackson’s complex legacy means today Mar 07, 2026

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Memorial services for Rev. Jesse Jackson conclude today. Jackson died in his Chicago home on February 17 at the age of 84. He was known as being one of the most visible civil rights leaders of the last half century and a protege of Martin Luther King Jr. But Jackson also was a divisive figure, remembered for his larger than life personality and sometimes controversial opinions. In this special episode of The Rundown, WBEZ reporter Somer Van Benton sits down with Lisa Labuz to parse through some of the more complicated aspects of Jackson's career and legacy – including the integration of the media into his work, his views on women's rights and his relationship with those in the Jewish community.

Friday, March 6, 2026 Mar 06, 2026

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Thousands of people gathered today in Chicago to honor the life and legacy of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. Charges were dropped this week against a group of 15 mothers arrested outside of the immigration processing center in Broadview. The New York City Ballet’s principal dancer Tiler Peck is coming to Chicago this weekend. Plus, the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s legacy includes Operation Breadbasket, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and two presidential campaigns in the 1980s. But before any of that, he was just a kid from Greenville, South Carolina.

Thursday, March 5, 2026 Mar 05, 2026

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Governor JB Pritzker is voicing delight at President Trump's firing of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Developers broke ground this week on the Chicago Fire’s new privately-funded stadium in the South Loop neighborhood. Hundreds of Chicago high schoolers are voting for the first time in this month’s primary election. Plus, thirty year-old conductor Klaus Mäkelä will soon become the Chicago Symphony’s next music director. While working with the orchestra, he’s become a familiar face inside another cultural gem: the Art Institute.

Wednesday, March 4, 2026 Mar 04, 2026

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Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is asking the federal government to help get U.S. citizens stranded in the Middle East back home. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before Congress on Tuesday, and she claimed to not know the case in which Chicago resident Marimar Martinez was shot five times in an encounter with Border Patrol. The City Club of Chicago threw a party at the Lookingglass Theater on the Magnificent Mile to celebrate Chicago turning 189 years old. Plus, inside Illinois prisons, treatable health problems can turn dangerous or even deadly. The nearly 30,000 people locked up in Illinois prisons are still receiving substandard medical care.

Tuesday, March 3, 2026 Mar 03, 2026

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Illinois Governor JB Pritzker is emphatically denying any ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is condemning the Trump administration for launching strikes in Iran without Congressional approval. A big challenge for whoever wins the Democratic primary for Cook County Board President is how to treat more uninsured patients. Plus, WBEZ and the Sun Times surveyed 20 top arts, culture, and humanities nonprofits last year. We wanted to see what progress they’ve made to diversify their staff and boards after the 2020 murder of George Floyd sparked a year of activism and reflection.

Monday, March 2, 2026 Mar 02, 2026

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Early voting and registration for the March 17th primaries began in suburban Cook County and all 50 wards in Chicago. Many of the non-immigration cases brought against people during Operation Midway Blitz are now falling apart in Chicago court. Pulaski Day honors Casimir Pulaski, who was a Polish hero of the Revolutionary War. Plus, Keshia Golden is facing murder charges for fatally stabbing her boyfriend three years ago, and she says she did it to save herself and the couple’s unborn child. Golden says she’s preparing for trial and fearful that a jury won’t believe that she acted in self-defense.

Friday, February 27, 2026 Feb 27, 2026

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High temperatures in the Chicago region will hit the lower 60s in some areas this afternoon due to warm winds and plenty of sunshine. Young adults, children and their parents made it a priority to honor the late Reverend Jesse Jackson as he lies in repose in Chicago. When conductor Malcolm Merriweather heard that an influential Chicago composer’s grave was unmarked, he decided to change that. Plus, Monday Night Foodball, a popular weekly chef pop-up, is hosting its 200th event next week. Curated by the Chicago Reader’s Mike Sula, it showcases underground and up-and-coming chefs in Chicago.

Thursday February 26, 2026 Feb 26, 2026

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A tax incentive plan aimed at keeping the Bears in Illinois advanced in the state House today amid opposition from City Hall and questions about whether Democrats can whip up enough votes to pass it. Illinois lawmakers are hoping to bring suicide prevention resources to public spaces. The Blackhawks return to the ice Thursday against the Nashville Predators after their long break for the Olympics. Plus, Reverend Jesse Jackson Senior will be lying in repose at Rainbow PUSH Headquarters in Kenwood Thursday and Friday. Crowds of people lined up outside chanting “I am somebody” and “keep hope alive” as recordings of Jackson’s speeches played from speakers. WBEZ’s Somer Van Benton asked Chicagoans how they remember the civil rights leader.

Wednesday, February 25, 2026 Feb 25, 2026

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The FBI has arrested a man accused of beating Sheila von Wiese-Mack of Oak Park to death nearly a dozen years ago. A survey from the Chicago-based Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics shows Americans are turning to social media and artificial intelligence for nutrition advice instead of professionals. NFL Draft prospects will hit the field at the scouting combine in Indianapolis starting Thursday. Plus, Black boys and men are the least likely demographic to get their college diploma within six years. Mentors can give them a leg up by sharing their experiences and connections to resources, but experts say there are more young people who could benefit from this support than mentors in Chicago.

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